Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1952 [PAGE 437]

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534

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[February 15

BUSINESS PRESENTED BY T H E PRESIDENT OF T H E UNIVERSITY

The Board considered the following recommendations and reports presented by President Stoddard.

APPOINTMENT OF LEGAL C O U N S E L

(1) Three months ago I appointed a Committee to study two questions which needed clarification with respect to the office of Legal Counsel: (a) Could the position be regarded as part time, and if so, in what other capacities could the University employ such an officer? (b) Should the University enter into a contract with the Research Corporation of New York to handle the University's patent matters with a view to reducing the work of the Legal Counsel or of special counsel? After the Committee reported on these questions I asked it to make a canvass of potential candidates for the position of Legal Counsel. As a result of its investigations, the Committee finds that the University has need for a full-time Legal Counsel. It recommends that one be employed as an officer of the University. The Committee submitted abundant evidence in support of its conclusion. The Committee also concurred in the recommendation of the University Research Boa'rd that the University enter into negotiations with the Research Corporation for certain patent services. Patent law is so specialized that it is necessary for the University to employ outside counsel on patent cases. A contract with the Research Corporation would reduce such services rather than the amount of work in the Legal Counsel's office. (A separate recommendation on this will be submitted at a later time.) I recommend the appointment of Mr. Ralph F. Lesemann of the law firm of Baker, Lesemann, Kagy, and Wagner, East St. Louis, Illinois, as Legal Counsel and as Professor of Law at an annual salary of $12,000 (Y basis), beginning May 1, 1951, the appointment as Legal Counsel to be on an annual basis and as Professor to be on indefinite tenure, with the understanding that the salary will be $13,500 the second year and $14,800 the third year. For the present the professorship will not involve any academic assignment, but it is desirable that Mr. Lesemann be a member of the faculty of the College of Law and of the University Senate. As a general administrative officer he will also be a member of the University Council. I also request authority to employ Mr. Lesemann for short periods on a consulting per diem basis if his services are needed prior to May 1, 1951.

On motion of Mr. Herrick, this appointment was approved.

CONTRACTS W I T H WARNER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

(2) The President of the University reported that at a meeting of the Illinois Budgetary Commission in Springfield on February 14, which officials of the University of Illinois were asked to attend for the purpose of discussing the University's budget requests for the biennium of 1951-1953, there appeared representatives of the Warner Construction Company who made certain charges against the University in connection with the construction of the Women's Residence Hall (Lincoln Avenue Residence) and extensions of the utilities distribution system.1 The Warner Construction Company has also made these charges in a letter to the members of the Board of Trustees, dated February 5, 1951. Mr. John H. Armstrong, special counsel for the University in this matter, stated that the Warner Construction Company has not complied with the provisions of the contract for the construction of the Women's Residence Hall by submitting the required evidence of final payments to all subcontractors and has not submitted evidence to substantiate claims for additional payments, or for damages the Com1 On December 28, 1948, the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees authorized the President of the Board to appoint a special committee to consider the claims of the Warner Construction Company and to make recommendations to the Board. President John R. Fornof appointed Mr. Kenney E. Williamson and President George D. Stoddard to serve on this special committee. By authority of the Board of Trustees, Mr. John H. Armstrong, Attorney, Champaign, was retained as special counsel for the University in this matter.